


The Runaway

by Chessiekat, theFlashisBack



Series: A Runaway Avatar [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Avatar Zuko (Avatar), Fluff and Angst, Iroh (Avatar) is a Good Uncle, Ozai (Avatar) Being a Terrible Parent, Ozai (Avatar) is an Asshole, Zuko (Avatar)-centric, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, aang is still an avatar, just not anymore?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:40:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25141033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chessiekat/pseuds/Chessiekat, https://archiveofourown.org/users/theFlashisBack/pseuds/theFlashisBack
Summary: Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony. Then, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could stop them, but when the world needed him most, he vanished.But the world needs the Avatar, it couldn't afford to allow him to sit stagnant in the ice for 100 years. The cycle needs to move on, with of without Avatar Aang.Prince Zuko is lucky to have been born. Barely surviving his first moments, Zuko's life seems to be determined to tear him apart. When he is cast out of the Fire Nation at the tender age of 13, he is devastated. He asks Agni, 'Is there anything you haven't thrown at me yet!?' He might not like the answer he receives.Can you blame a 14-year-old for running away after discovering he's his father's #1 threat?
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar), Sokka/Suki/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: A Runaway Avatar [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1837372
Comments: 34
Kudos: 374





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> In this work, I make quite a few references to LOK and the Comics but I have not seen or read either in quite some time. Please don't berate me if I get something wrong.

_ Crash! _

Aang yanks on the reigns sharply, gritting his teeth. He had just barely managed to avoid that last strike.  _ Why did I think this was a good idea!? _ He metally berated himself as he scanned with what little vision he had for land. Nothing. He distantly heard Appa roar, but he was much more aware of his own screaming. The storm was too loud, too rough. Was he going to die here? The wind whistles in his water clogged ears. The rain soaked his clothes but for some reason, he felt no chill. His hands gripped Apa’s reigns like his life depended on it, though truthfully he knew that wouldn’t save him. Aang would’ve liked to say that, as he and Appa descended to the sea below, he thought back to… well anyone actually. However, he was much more concerned with his own mortality. He  _ really  _ didn’t want to die here. The only regret that passed Aang’s mind as he hit the ocean’s surface was that he knew this was entirely his own fault. His head broke the surface and he gasped for air, but found none. Met with the chill of the icy torrents, his head slipped under once more. All at once his vision clouded and he saw nothing but blue.

**************

Aang’s eyes open to an unfamiliar scene. He stands on a small island, covered in luscious green grass and dotted with unfamiliar blue flowers. The island layed in the middle of a crystal clear lake, void of any signs of life other than the lilies growing at the edges. The edge of the water was met with high cliff walls. By craning his neck, Aang could spot the foliage above, hanging slightly into the cavern where he stood. 

There was a warmth within him. He pressed his palms to his chest basking in the calm within and around him. His eyes snapped open ( _ when had they closed?) _ as the warmth began to speak to him.

_ Avatar Aang _

Aang spun around, whipping his head in all directions looking for the source of the voice. Surely there was someone else here? But all he was met with was the lonely surroundings he had observed before. He then looked down and was met with a white light slowly pulling away from his body.

“W-What?”

_ Avatar Aang, it seems that we are in a tough spot. _

“Who are you?” As his eyes adjusted, Aang noticed the blue markings and symbols decorating the form that had now left his body and floated just ahead of him. “Are you a spirit?”

_ Yes, young one. My name is Raava. _

Raava moved a little further away from Aang, giving him a better view. As he documented the details of the spirit’s appearance, he noticed something he had skipped over in his initial confusion. “Uh, it’s very nice to meet you Raava. But you said that  _ we _ were in trouble. What do you mean?”

_ The storm. It dragged you under. To save yourself, you entered the Avatar state and froze you and your bison in ice. You will be unable to escape on your own. _

“So I’m stuck? How am I going to-. Wait, what does this have to do with you?”

_ I am part of you young one. I am the spirit half of the Avatar. And yes, it seems you are stuck, which is quite the problem I’m afraid.  _ _ The world has a great need for the avatar presently _ _. _

“Why? The world seemed just fine when I left? The monks seemed worried but I haven’t heard of anything actively going wrong. Anyways, what can I do about it? Like you said, I can’t break out on my own!”

_ Vaatu stirs trouble in your world. It seems humanity is on the cusp of a war that will break the balance.  _ Raava moves around Aang, forcing him to spin on his heel to keep an eye on her.  _ We do not have time for help to arrive. The world needs the Avatar. _

Aang groans in frustration, she was going around in circles! Both literally and metaphorically! “Okay, but again, if I can’t get out what other choice do we have! Besides, what can I do? I’m just a child, Raava! I don’t even want to be the Avatar!”

Raava comes to a stop by the edge of the water. She seemed to be inviting him closer. Stepping forward Aang glanced down at his own reflection. He was met with himself, a glowing blue spectre. He looked up at Raava in alarm.

_ I know. That is why I have a proposition. I will move onto the next step in the cycle. _

“What!?” Aang cried out. Could she even do that!? And what would happen to him if she did? He’s pretty sure the only thing keeping him alive at that moment was the fact that he was the Avatar.

_ Calm yourself Avatar Aang. My idea would not include your demise. You have stated yourself that you have no desire to be the Avatar, which is not something I hold you at fault for. My solution would pass on the Avatar title to the next in line, freeing you of that duty. The world would have it’s Avatar again much sooner than it would otherwise. You would remain in the ice until you are freed, reborn as a normal Airbender child. I would suggest you search out the Avatar at that time to assist them but that is purely my own suggestion. _

Aang thought it over. It was the most reasonable solution in the situation. It would also benefit him greatly. Additionally according to the spirit, he’d even survive and emerge without the responsibility of being the Avatar! He’d be able to go back home and be treated normally again! He already missed his friends so much. They would no longer take him away from Gyatso!

Aang grinned, he could feel his body start to shake with excitement. He took a deep breath and steeled his expression, “I accept your offer Raava.”

**************

Not so far away from where Aang’s body lay resting in the water, a baby girl was born in a Water Tribe village. She was a new bundle of absolute joy for the village who hadn’t seen a baby girl in several years. Her parents named her Meriwa and she grew up to become one of the tribe's strongest benders. 

She found out when she was 23. Meriwa was happy where she was in life, a wonderful family, hopefully a baby of her own on the way. She was aware that the world outside of her haven was not so peaceful, but she couldn’t bring herself to mind it. The world outside seemed so far away, a distant worry. That was at least, until she walked straight into it. Meriwa had begged to be on her husband, Kallik’s, trading canoe inbound for an Earth Kingdom dock. He had relented easily enough, there wasn’t much he’d deny her.

The Fire Nation decided to attack the port city that afternoon. Meriwa and Killik got caught up in the fight and in a spurt of pure panic, Meriwa threw her first rock at an oncoming soldier.

The Earth Kingdom came to visit the Southern Water Tribes that year.

Meriwa’s life spiraled from that point onward. The Fire Nation began their raids on the Southern Water Tribes, taking away many of her family members and friends from in and around her village. She had lost her own child in the fighting, never to see him again.

When she was 37, the Fire Nation came for her. She hardly put up a fight.

Avatar Meriwa of the Water Tribe died in Fire Nation custody at age 61 from a successful hunger strike.

**************

Mal-Chin was born in a village not too distant from the outer walls of Ba Sing Se. Born to a noble family, for the starting years of his life, he lived carefree and jovial inside the walls of his family’s giant manor overlooking the peasant city below. He grew up with many friends, often slipping between the cracks in security to meet with other children his age. They would teach him how to play all the games that were forbidden in his household. He would return home each day with a new beloved memory to tuck away.

Other nobles in the area often compared him to the late Airbenders that had once lived a ways north in their hidden temple. He was not offended at all by the comparison, taking pride in his kind, open personality. Everyone in his community loved him, awaiting the day he would take over governing the land from his parents.

Unfortunately, that would never come to pass. Mal-Chin’s family had been invited by some close family friends to visit their home in Ba Sing Se. Mal-Chin had been beyond excited to go, having seen the walls from afar and wanted nothing else but to stand on the outer wall and feel the breeze against his face.

They arrived about a week after his 13th birthday, and Mal-Chin was horrified to discover the state of the outer ring of Ba Sing Se. He openly complained to his parents how unfair it all appeared that people would be forced so close together. Besides, the city just looked like a fire hazard. And he was all too right.

Halfway through the ride to the inner rings of Ba Sing Se, the tracks caught on fire from a nearby burning house. The fire entered the train, slowly crawling through the cars until all the passengers were trapped, bunched together, in the back cars. Mal-Chin stood in front of the crowd, attempting to calm everyone, saying help was surely on its way.

As the fire entered the car he was in, he was horrified to realize that no, nobody was going to make it in time.

Luckily for the passengers, firebenders can dissipate flames as well as create them.

The Dai Li took special interest in Mal-Chin after the incident. He was brought forth to the head of the Dai Li who informed him that as the Earth Avatar, it was his duty to stay out of the hands of the Fire Nation.

“We are pleased to inform you that we have the means to provide for your entire life here, within the great walls of Ba Sing Se.”

Within Ba Sing Se, Mal-Chin no longer had slips in security to escape through. He scarcely even saw the sky he once loved to gaze at for hours on end. It was political meetings in the morning, public appearances during lunch, and bending training the rest of the day for the next 6 years of his life. If you asked him, he’d say openly that he hardly considered it a life at all. But he endured it for the sake of his people and his country. He knew by living alone, he was helping to avenge the deaths of the Airbenders and the deaths of his previous two lives. And that was reason enough to keep living. Until it wasn’t.

Avatar Mal-Chin died at age 19 from a severe case of the common flu. But as everyone knows, The Avatar Resides within the Walls of Ba Sing Se.

**************

Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation is born on a cool autumn afternoon, delivered into the arms of the present Fire Sage, Shyu. Fire Prince Ozai stands in the corner of the room, watching the birth of his son and more importantly to him, the open flame sitting in the opposite corner. He grimaces at the baby’s first wail and scowls as he notices no change in the flames behavior. He stalks over to Ursa’s bedside and peers down at the infant in her arms. His hands light up in burning flames as he reaches for the child.

“Fire Lord! What are you doing!?” The Fire Sage exclaims, putting a hand atop the baby’s swathed form. Ozai sneers at the Sage in open disgust.

“I will not have a non bender as my firstborn! He lacks the spark, Sage.”

“Please spare him Ozai, he is our son!”

“No son of mine will be a nonbender, this is not open for negotiation Ursa!” Ozai roars.

Fire Sage Shyu slightly lifts his hand to bring attention to himself. “Your Highness Prince Ozai, may I remind you not all firebenders show their spark at the moment of birth. But I can assure you, I feel that Agni is strong within this child, I would stake my life on it.”

Ozai pauses and considers what the Sage said. He takes a deep breath before replying, “He had better show his ability by the end of the month or we are to be rid of him!”

Ursa and Shyu quickly nod in agreement and Ozai sweeps out of the room.

**************

Two weeks later the baby’s cries summon Prince Ozai from his work and he hears other excited shouts from the same direction. He finds his wife, crying while cradling the child in his arms and Crown Prince Iroh grinning at the child despite the loud cries being produced. The next thing he notices is the unnatural roaring of the torches in the room, bending to the intensity of the baby’s wails.

Ozai walks up to his wife and brother. He looks down at his son.

“His name is Prince Zuko.”

Prince Ozai leaves the room.


	2. Chapter 1: Before

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zuko's life before and a year after his banishment.

Zuko’s childhood was far from pleasant. He could not reason why, but his father never paid much attention to him, opting for dismissal if not outright ignoring him. It whittled away some when he began his first firebending lessons, but once the instructors voiced doubts of whether he’d ever be skilled.... It hadn’t been that bad though, his mother was wonderful, spending much of her day with him, tending to the turtle ducks or reading old playwrights.

When Azula was born Zuko was overjoyed. Despite his mother’s constant companionship, he had always wanted someone closer to his own age around. She wasn't what he expected to say the least. The first few years were fine, sure, but once she started bending, his father snapped her up like a starving man. 

Azula was the perfect daughter in their father's eyes. The perfect heir. Zuko knew immediately that he would always be second best to her in their father’s eyes. He morbidly hadn’t been all that surprised when Azula informed Zuko of his impending death.. Sure, he had been shaken to the very core after his grandfather had supposedly ordered his father to kill him, yet it had made perfect sense. Azula was the perfect heir; Zuko was not. His heart broke when he awoke the next day to news of his grandfather’s death and his mother's disappearance. 

Firelord Azulon’s dying wish had been for Prince Ozai to dawn a new title. Iroh was stripped of his crown prince title and Ozai took his place on the throne. Young Zuko was presented with the title of crown prince and became the true heir to the throne. Even Azula had congratulated him in her own conceited way. She was happy to be next beyond her brother. Brothers could be temporary after all. 

Maybe that was her intention when she planted the idea of shadowing their father into Zuko’s head. It  _ had _ seemed like a good idea after all. Zuko had promised he would keep his mouth tightly shut. Iroh was happy to allow the prince to accompany him under such simple precautions. 

Zuko had never been a ruthless person. He believed all people were to be treated equally and it was the government’s duty to protect their nation. When he heard the general’s plan to send practically new recruits on a suicide mission, Zuko saw red.

Unnoticed by the entire war council, the Fire Nation banners hung around the room rustled violently in an unexplainable gust.

**************

The pain was unexplainable. The first week and a half Zuko flitted in and out of consciousness, and even awake he was often not aware of the world surrounding his bed. He recalls calling out for his mother, his uncle, begging for their presence. Sometimes, his requests were obliged by a pair of warm, comforting arms. A hushed voice would whisper calming promises of recovery in his ear. Sometimes the voice would cry too. Sometimes he’d hear the voice rise in anger, but not at him. Never at him.

Once he was cleared to move, he was informed of his banishment and mission: to return only once he had captured Ba Sing Se’s Avatar and delivered him to Fire Lord Ozai. He accepted the news with grace, he had no tears left to shed at that moment. He left the palace with as much dignity as he could muster in his fragile state, Uncle Iroh’s hand placed firmly at the small of his back.

The crew were nice enough in Zuko’s opinion. They managed to leave him with as much privacy as he needed to recover fully. Zuko still needed help to walk, his entire right side shut down from the severe nerve damage done. Uncle Iroh usually provided all the aid Zuko needed. He felt useless, vulnerable at the mercy of his Uncle. Nevertheless, he was beyond grateful for his support, something he would never admit aloud.

After a little under a month, Zuko’s bandages came off and he finally took command of the ship and its crew. It was awkward at first, neither parties having interacted much in the weeks Zuko had been on board. When Zuko announced the purpose of his and Iroh's presence outside of the palace and his goal of capturing Avatar Mal-Chin, the crew had been rather alarmed. He explained his plan to soothe their agitation. His training would take priority, he needed to be ready for any potential combat. The ship would travel in and around the edges of the Earth Kingdom’s main continent surrounding Ba Sing Se and gather intel. Anything was useful in Zuko’s opinion; architectural information, socio-political happenings, traditions. Anything. Zuko was nothing if not thorough.

This displayed caution seemed to ease the crew into agreeing to the prince’s plan. The Captain, Lieutenant Jee, set a course south, preparing for the long journey it would take to maneuver around the giant Earth Kingdom territory. 

Zuko and Iroh went straight to training and adjusting to life at sea. Zuko plunged into his training with a hard determination, he  _ gave _ his fire something to fuel off of. He was angry. He didn’t know at who, he didn’t know exactly why, but he was resentful. His days were filled with lessons on sea faring, Earth Kingdom geography, and lots of mock combat situations with his crew. His nights were filled with fitful dreams that he shot up from. He only remembered a fraction of the dreams, the ones of his father, the Agni Kai, and of his mother. But they were, for some reason, not the ones that unsettled him most after awakening. The ones he did not remember left the faint air of impending doom that would hang on the edge of his mind for hours after rising.

His mood soured the longer the voyage lasted. Each mistake, each criticism delivered by his Uncle and the crewmates assisting in his learning solidified his inadequacy. He needed to get better, he needed to  _ be _ better. He wouldn’t  _ be  _ in the situation if he had just  _ been better _ . What had seemed like simple foundational sets turned into hours of grueling repetitions. What made it worse (because that was somehow possible) was that, for the life of him, Zuko couldn’t seem to get his sea legs. He would fumble at every slight movement of the vessel. This made him near-ecstatic when his ship hit its first port stop to restock on supplies.

While his crew went to do the stocking, Zuko and Iroh slipped away to find a suitable place to spar with one another. They discovered a good sized clearing with minimal dried plants that would pose as a fire hazard. Additionally, there was a pond nearby, perfect for if there were any mishaps. The first hour went smoothly, Zuko getting much farther along in the forms than he had on their ship. Zuko had begun regaining his confidence at an alarming rate, insisting they move onto the next set and perhaps some armed firebending. He had brought his dao in case they would want to switch combat styles.

Iroh had quickly shot down the suggestion, insisting they continue on Zuko’s basic mastery. That had not gone over well with Zuko who was quick to argue that he was more than ready to move on, “The pace we have set on the ship, taking our own sweet time, is impractical! At this rate I’ll be your age by the time we get into Ba Sing Se and capture the Avatar!”

“You must be patient Prince Zuko, the reckless hunter always loses their prey,” Iroh reasons, holding out a hand.

“Arghhhhh!” Zuko exclaims, “I am  _ not  _ being reckless! I can do the forms, we’ve been over them a million times! They’re so  _ boring _ , Uncle!”

“Prince Zuko, boredom is not a suitable reason to throw caution to the wind. To become a firebending master you must do just that,  _ master _ firebending,” Iroh sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, “There are a few slight irregularities in your repetitions that need to be sorted out before we proceed. You are being unreasonable.”

“ _ Unreasonable!? _ ” Zuko threw his arms in the air, “So you think I’m being unreasonable now!? I’m not the one who spends hours at a time, stalking the chef, making tea, and playing pai sho! We have more important things to do and a mission to complete. At least I care about the time frame in which we do them!” His arms gesture wildly as he speaks and he takes a step toward Iroh. Iroh takes a small step back and his eyebrows shoot up, eyes looking past Zuko. He whips around to look at where his Uncle was and sees nothing but the pond. The water was rippling slightly, but Zuko wrote it off as a fish jumping.

“What are you looking at?” Zuko snips at Iroh, turning back to him.

“Nothing Prince Zuko. Now, how about we go over these forms one more time and then take a small break before working on your dao?”

**************

About three months into their voyage, the ship landed on Whale Tail Island to gather some more supplies once again. The island was mostly uninhabited at the time so much of their resupplying was done through hunting and gathering, which Zuko participated in. He decided to set out on his own further inland than the rest of the crew. He had heard there were a few plants that were located inland that made good tea and Iroh’s birthday was coming up.

He was about an hour inland when he noticed something rustling in the undergrowth. He quickly jabbed in the direction with one of his swords, hoping to impale the creature. He heard a high pitched yelp when he made contact.

Moving aside the plants surrounding his catch, Zuko was met with the sight of an adult weasel snake wriggling underneath his blade. Something large was in it’s mouth. Zuko pulled out his knife and quickly finished off the animal, not wanting to prolong it’s suffering. Before putting the corpse in his bag, Zuko removed the small object from the weasel snake’s mouth. His eyebrows raised at finding a small, undamaged egg. Zuko quickly warmed his hands, hoping that the baby inside was still alive and looked around. He couldn’t spot where the egg could have come from anywhere closeby.

He didn’t really know what to do with it, the nest being nowhere in sight and the baby inside most likely alive. So, as any kid would do, he elected to ask his uncle about it. Luckily, he had already found the plant he needed for the gift so he started making his way inland, keeping his hands warm for the tiny creature he had just saved. The walk took significantly more time than before, Zuko being incredibly gentle with his movements so as to not disrupt the egg. As he travelled, he attempted to figure out what kind of bird or reptile this egg belonged to. After minimal examination, Zuko settled on a bird egg as he remembered few reptiles in this area had such large eggs. But past that, he had no idea. It was roughly textured, slight indents covering the shell. The hue was light red-brown. He had never seen this kind of egg before.

When Zuko finally returned to the shore, he found most of the crew waiting on the beach. They spotted him immediately and he noticed quite a few of them visibly relaxed. His Uncle walked out of the crowd to meet him, “We were getting worried, Prince Zuko. Where have you been?”

“Uncle look, I found this egg in the mouth of a weasel snake I caught! I couldn’t find its nest so I decided to take it back with me. What should we do with it?”

One of the crew members spoke up, “Cook it up and eat it, of course!” Zuko was quick to shoot him a dark glare.

“We are  _ not  _ cooking it! The baby could still be alive in there!”

Iroh took on a look of concentration and stroked his beard. He bent down to peer at the egg and held a hand out to touch it, looking to his nephew for permission. Zuko nodded and Iroh’s gentle hand moved over the bumpy shell. Unnoticed by those present, his eyebrows raised slightly at contact.

“I say you try to hatch it. A short lesson in responsibility over other’s lives. It would be good to practice having something’s life in your hands for future experiences as a leader of the people.”

Zuko startled for a moment but nodded. He could accept that responsibility. He smiled down at the little egg, just enough that only Iroh saw.  _ I can’t wait to see what you’ll hatch into. _

**************

It was a phoenix. An Agni damned phoenix. Zuko named her Ilah. Ilah liked tea.

**************

The crew had arrived at the southern tip of Chameleon Bay. At this point they had been gathering information from every Earth Kingdom town they came by. They had modified their ship to be unidentifiable and bought proper Earth Kingdom style clothing. He had gotten a couple looks throughout the 7 month journey for the baby phoenix on his shoulder but most just passed him by. Ilah had been growing beautifully and was normally found either resting somewhere on Zuko’s body, picking at his ponytail, or harassing Iroh for tea which he was more than happy to share.

Iroh had been spitting out more and more borderline controversial advice as time had been going on. Each time Zuko would go off about returning to his home, Iroh would step in, reminding him to live in the moment. He had the chance of a lifetime out here, learning from other cultures and in an environment away from the headache that was palace life as a royal. The past couple of months he had been doubling down on the firebending training. Zuko was convinced the old man was purposefully trying to find  _ something _ wrong with each of Zuko’s demonstrations insisting upon “mastery” and “the strength of foundation.” It was all nonsense, but he put up with it anyway.

Alongside the aggravating advice, Iroh had been discussing with Zuko even harder wisdom to swallow. Private nights on the shore consisted of in depth conversations about morality, spirituality, and emotional vulnerability. It seemed his uncle was trying to bring down the fortress he had put up around himself. But Zuko kept the doors barred shut, no matter how much he may have really wanted to let go. He had a mission to do. He wanted to go home, but each day his Uncle made home seem like a stranger and stranger place.

It didn’t help what he was witnessing in every town they went by. The people were nothing like how his tutors had described them. They were unbearably kind, many expressing sympathy for the young prince, believing him to be another victim of his father’s war. The stories he had heard from people trying to connect bruised his soul.  _ These people had done nothing to deserve the… _ Zuko usually stopped his train of thought there.

He began avoiding trips to the villages, leaving the scouting and restocking to the crew members. He would train wherever he could with Iroh, taking out his pent up frustration and blasting it out of his hands. His nights were filled with fitful sleep, often waking to Uncle Iroh at his bedside, brewing yet another cup of calming, Jasmine tea.

**************

Iroh had taken to visiting Zuko in the night. The poor boy would have nightmares more often than not. And he was waiting for something. A confirmation of what he had suspected in the very first month of the voyage. He had a feeling all would be revealed by the nightmares, if there was anything to reveal at all. Iroh didn’t really question his judgement, but nonetheless he wanted solid proof.

He was ready when finally, after six months of monitoring his nephew’s sleep and soothing the child after the night terrors, it happened. Iroh had woken up to the tell tale sound of the beginnings of a terror. He slowly got up and moved into the hallway. The guards knew better than to be in this area of the ship at this time so only he witnessed the shine of bright light emanating from Zuko’s doorway. Iroh’s pace quickened as he approached the door. He opened it to find Zuko sitting up in his bed, eyes wide open, unseeing. That wasn’t what scared Iroh, however. Zuko’s eyes were glowing, shining a bright white. Tears streamed down Zuko’s cheeks as his head slowly started turning toward Iroh.

Iroh’s hands went to his mouth as the boy spoke in a voice of thousands, “ **_He cannot go home_ ** .” Iroh nodded and the light faded, leaving Zuko to slump back down onto his pillows, nearly hitting his head on the headboard. Iroh rushed forward to lay his nephew’s, his dear nephew’s head on his lap. He cradled the 13 year old boy’s head as he sang to him, the same song he would sing to his darling son as he drifted off to sleep.

“I promise you my Zuko. I will not let him hurt you again. I swear, I will help you.”

Zuko had no more nightmares that night.

**************

When Zuko’s ship arrived at the desired spot in the north of Chameleon Bay, the crew began to build a permanent encampment on the shore beside the ship. They would not be leaving the spot often so they managed to justify it to Zuko. He hadn’t been speaking much to the crew lately, opting to use his free time to meditate in privacy or go over basic sets. Occasionally the non-bender crew members would drag the prince out of his tent to spar with them. It was a nice way to get out of the constant mental strain he was under. 

The boy had been at war with himself, his experiences and Iroh finally cracking open his fortress doors. Zuko was trying to find a way to justify this war, justify his forefather’s actions against the people of this kingdom. He hadn’t found any answer satisfying. Eventually, he had settled on a middle ground that didn’t seem  _ too _ traitorous to himself. He would capture the avatar, bring him to the fire nation, and regain his position. Once he was Fire Lord, little could stop him from ending the war himself. He just had to  _ get there _ .

**************

One day, roughly 13 months after his banishment, Zuko was wandering the woods surrounding the beach the encampment was sitting on. Ilah was resting on his head, her talons kind of digging into his skull. He had just got back from a three week-long trip on foot from the encampment to Ba Sing Se’s walls and back. His men were back at the encampment, sleeping off the travel. He was looking for a nice, private place to swing his dao around.

His mind traveled with him, wandering from subject to subject. Most of the time he thought back to times he spent with his family back before his mother left. His cousin teaching him sword fighting with spare daggers, his mother taking him to see plays at Ember Island, his uncle explaining topics his tutors never wanted to cover. Sometimes his thoughts would drift to darker topics, the victims of the war, his Agni Kai, his own personal guilt for not saving the 41st division. He was so lost in thought, he almost missed the giant arm bearing down at him from the side.

Zuko jumped away and took in his bearings. He was near a rocky outcropping on the side of a small mountain. There was a stream to his left, leaving him trapped between the mountain and the water. Attacking him was an enormous goat gorilla, a mad one at that. Zuko slid into a combat stance when he noticed the beast rearing back to charge at him. Hopefully a large blast would scare the thing off. Ilah screeched from the air, having jumped off Zuko’s head at the first attack. She began flying in the camp’s direction, probably to search for Iroh.

When the goat gorilla got close enough, Zuko released a massive flame, intentionally keeping it pretty low heat so as to not permanently hurt it. The goat gorilla was not intimidated. The two fumbled back and forth, Zuko unable to get away from the goat gorilla fast enough to disengage and the goat gorilla unable to hit Zuko. They continued for quite some time until Zuko was able to force the creature back into the rock. The force it hit the cliff face with made the outcropping shudder. Next thing Zuko knew, he was frozen in his spot, a giant boulder rolling straight for him. His eyes closed for the impact, instinctually throwing out his hands in front of himself and planting his feet.

The impact never came. He opened his eyes to find the rock stopped right in front of him. His eyes popped. Rocks do  _ not _ do that. He whipped around, looking for the bender and the rock flew away with the movement of his arms. He stared at the bolder flying off, taking in the gravity of his situation. Either there was an earthbender here that was seriously screwing with him, or… Zuko scanned the area: not a soul other than the goat gorilla, who had frozen in its spot. That couldn’t be right. The boulder should not have stopped, or started flying, or started moving with his movements. That rock  _ should have killed him _ .

Zuko whips around when he hears the goat gorilla yelp. He turns to see his Uncle, fist still in position from firing at the beast, standing a small ways from him. Ilah was sitting on a branch nearby. Zuko stood there for a moment, processing. Iroh relaxed as the goat gorilla ran away and turned to face Zuko, his face written out in concern.

“Zuko, are you-”

His heart began to double its pace, his breathing began to come out in ragged gasps. Every instinct was telling him to run, hide, figure out what was  _ wrong  _ with him. A small voice in his heart said, “No, stay. It’s Uncle.” Zuko decided to go with his head.

Iroh’s shouts did nothing but speed his legs as he ran away.


	3. Mal-Chin is Baby

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zuko comes to terms.

Zuko didn’t know where he was going. It was away, and that just had to be enough for him. He fled the forest, finding strength he didn’t know he even had to escape the situation he was just now beginning to process. His legs burned, but not like how his face had. It was a dull burn that faded to the subconscious when he didn’t think about it too hard. His lungs also burned, but in a sharp quick way. It was a burn that would go up and down in intensity but was always there. He had this weird, indescribable cramp in his chest, right under the left lung, which he could only explain by saying his ribs must have curled in and started stabbing his lung. He had run well over ten miles at this point and he started feeling queasy. He thanked Agni he hadn’t been wearing any armor when  _ it _ happened, he’d probably have dropped by now. He knew he had to keep going though, at least until he was sure he couldn’t be caught any time soon by the crew.

Cresting over the top of a hill, Zuko noticed a village, about a half-mile off. It looked to be a fishing village, sitting on the bank of a river that flowed east, in accordance with the sun. A town like that would have a market. Zuko was no fool, he knew no matter what was going to happen to him next, he’d need supplies. He didn’t think food would be a problem since it was important as a noble to be skilled in hunting. His year at sea gave him minimal experience in gathering too, he at least would not poison himself. Armed with his dao, firebending, and apparently earthbending (he’d take time to mull over the implications of  _ that _ later when he had time to rest), Zuko knew he would be fine in terms of defense. He’d find water and shelter as he went, this was a land rich in nature after all, there would be a cave somewhere. But he needed tools and a destination. Come to think of it, where even was he? He needed a map. 

Ilah landed on Zuko’s shoulder as he took a quick breather next to a tree, bringing to Zuko’s attention that she had followed him. He would have to get her some tea too, wouldn’t he? That sounded fine he supposed. But first, he had to get a handle on himself so he wouldn’t look a total wreck while in town… and come up with a cover story. 

While in town, Zuko started planning. He had no intention of  _ ever _ returning to that ship, so he had to decide on a future for himself. Zuko decided to travel south. His initial sprint had taken him west, down the river that he knew would spill into the bay. He figured going in the opposite direction would be a little obvious for someone trying to avoid the crew. Hopefully only going slightly in a different direction would throw them off his trail, if they followed him at all. 

Realistically, Zuko knew they would. The crew always seemed concerned when anything happened regarding the young prince, blowing small situations he’d get himself into out of proportion. But this was different, wasn’t it? Zuko had abandoned them. He had  _ run away  _ without any warning, without any explanation! But still, they would. His uncle was with them after all! But that thought only got Zuko thinking.

Would Iroh tell them what he’d seen? Assisting his foolish nephew was one thing, even if Zuko had just cracked under the stress of banishment and ran away, but being the  _ Avatar?  _ The realization hit Zuko with the blunt force of a boulder. Zuko stopped walking, standing uncharacteristically still beside a shop he hadn’t bothered to identify. No, the boulder hadn’t hit him at all… The realization hit with the same searing, mind-numbing pain of his father’s flames. If Zuko could bend fire and earth, wouldn’t it be reasonable to assume he could also bend water and air? That was a question and a thought for another time and place, Ilah was pulling his hair and he looked up to see some people were kind of staring at him. Zuko reached up and scratched the top of the phoenix’s head gently, she nuzzled gratefully into his hand. 

He felt a small hand place itself on his arm, the one not petting Ilah. He snapped his head around to find a middle-aged woman looking at him, concerned, “Are you alright, child? Do you need any help?” Zuko took a deep, shuttering breath in and forcibly kept himself from exhaling flame. He nodded with as good a smile as he could muster.

“Yes. I’m honored by your concern for me. But yeah, actually. Do you know whether any of the stalls sell maps?”

The woman smiled back at him, it reminded him of his own mother’s smile, lips pulled apart and her nose crinkling with the movement of her face. It was almost calming, almost.

“I’m afraid none of the usual vendors have anything like that, but sea traders just arrived yesterday, I’m willing to bet they’ve got one!”

Zuko bowed slightly, disturbing Ilah enough to get her to flap her wings a few times. The woman laughed and reached a hand to quickly pet the bird before walking away to rejoin her family. Zuko smiled as the woman left, turning to go in the direction she had directed. People were so kind… Or was it just in the Earth Kingdom?

**************

“Okay Ilah. Let’s see if I am delusional. Hopefully, I am and we can head back,” Zuko said to the bird, guiding her off his shoulder and onto a branch. He checked his surroundings, making sure no one was around to see him, nobody needed to witness this. He found a beach on the side of the river well-stocked with small pebbles, might as well start small. He took a deep breath and stared at a particularly large stone, focusing on it. He settled into a basic stance. He had never seen an earthbender take up a firebending stance, but it was all he knew. 

He tried a couple uppercuts. They didn’t work. He moved onto slices, them sweeping his leg in the air, punching the air. For the hell of it, he began throwing rocks in the air and tried punching them with airbending since earthbending was obviously not working. They didn’t move and only one thing was clear to Zuko: firebending would not move a rock.

“Argh!” Zuko practically roared “Why won’t you move?! You’ve done it before!  _ I’m  _ supposed to be the one with the power here!” He slammed his foot in a toddler-esque stomping motion. The rock shattered. 

It was at that moment Zuko remembered something his uncle had told him when he was barely able to produce flame. “Before one can bend an element, one must understand the element. Feel the fire within you, your inner Flame. Understand its power, it’s sparraticy. Fire is unpredictable in nature, you must learn to accept and embrace it, nephew.” But how does one understand...a rock? The rock reacted to his frustration, so maybe he had to be frustrated? No, that was ridiculous.

Zuko closed his eyes and thought back to the goat gorilla attack. He hadn’t moved, hadn’t flinched. He had just not wanted to die. No, he had  _ decided _ he wouldn’t die.  _ That’s it!  _ Zuko stomped once more, deciding either the ground was going to move before him or- No it  _ was _ going to move. It had no choice in the matter. Sure enough, the earth carved away in his wake. The ground split before him, stones falling into the gaping crack in the shore. Water rushed in as Zuko observed his work for a moment. The earth had moved. Zuko- Zuko moved the earth. 

Zuko then collapsed. That was that, he couldn’t deny it anymore, there was no other explanation left for him.  _ Only the Avatar can bend more than one element _ . The Fire Nation Avatar was sitting, alone, in the middle of the woods and absolutely nobody outside of himself and probably his Uncle knew. He had trouble putting himself and the word “Avatar” in the same sentence, even in his head. He never had considered it, hadn't expected it. Angi, he didn’t  _ want _ this! Just a day ago, he had known who he was, he had never needed to question it! Now, he didn’t know what to think, what to do, how to feel …who he was. He was the… He was... 

“I… I am Crown Prince Zuko. I am-” Zuko took in a breath he realized he had so greatly needed, “I am Zuko, son of Urza and Fire Lord Ozai. I am a… I am  _ the _ .” Zuko’s arms wove around his body as he raised his eyes to the sky above. The sun was setting, the clouds colored in the evening’s daily sunset. The trees around him waved in the slight nighttime breeze. He could spot a bird, high in the sky, looking for an unsuspecting creature to be its final meal of the day. Everything was so terribly… mundane. It didn’t feel right.  _ Nothing _ felt right at the moment. Everything was so  _ different _ .

But was it really? The water flowed and twinkled in the fading light, sweeping away dirt and depositing stones from further upstream. The grass moved against his body, tickling at his ankles. Nothing had changed from a moment before. Nothing but himself and the newly cracked shore. But even then, had he changed? He must have been born this way, all of the others before had been born like this. He looked down at his hands - the same hands he’d always had. But they weren’t the hands of a dainty prince, a dignified royal. His hands were rough, calloused, and scarred from months of pulling at rigging and grasping at the sword. These were his hands, like they always had been. He looked down at himself. It was his body, a little dirtier than usual, but still, nothing drastically different. But his clothing, they were not the attire of a prince, they were not even the attire of a Fire Nation citizen! He felt comfortable in them all the same. He had been wearing them for months. This posture was not befitting of a noble, but it hinted at a strength he knew he could display at any time. They were his hands, his clothes, his  _ body.  _ They had not changed.

_ But what of his mind? _

**************

Zuko had fallen asleep that night where he was, laying underneath the sky, watching the moon rise. Ilah had nested herself on his chest, adding extra warmth. Zuko hadn’t gotten much further in his train of thoughts, going over everything he knew was the same. It comforted yet frustrated him at the same time. How could everything around him be so normal but so very  _ wrong _ !?

Maybe it was denial, maybe he really did plan to revisit it, but Zuko decided to table his thoughts for when he did not feel on the run. Besides, even if he is the… Even if he could bend multiple elements, it only solidified the need for his actions the previous day. In the light of that decision, Zuko began traveling further south, along the mountain range bordering the continent. He found solstice in the unfamiliar terrain, using up all of his time learning about the world around him. Who would have known that sandstorms could still affect a shoreline hundreds of miles away? He noticed the animals seemed well acquainted, as did the people living in and around the area.

Like in other towns, nearly everyone Zuko met was very kind, aside from the roadside attempted robberies. That, and the military recruiters. They had tried to drag Zuko himself off several times, but he managed to either evade them or guilt-trip them every time. People were surprisingly easy to convince when you are a fourteen-year-old child with a rather large facial injury. Travelers were more than happy to teach Zuko random tips for travel, and trade things for small catches he made while hunting. He began enjoying his time on the road, avoiding any thought of the life he had left behind. That of course, was when the world decided to catch up with him.

He had been staying in this particular town for roughly a week, needing time to recover from a small illness he had caught from a bad catch. The village healer had been more than happy to give him a bed and her aid in exchange for stories he had from his time at sea or traveling down the bay’s coastline. Unfortunately, that meant he had a lot more time to think about his predicament. Any potential pursuers would have time to find him now. He knew traveling on land would put him at a disadvantage so any delays made him nervous. Besides that, it caused him to focus more on his own thoughts on his situation. Thoughts that more often than not left him crying throughout a long, sleepless night.

One of these harder nights came on the sixth day in the small coastal village. Zuko found himself debating on what would happen if he got caught by Uncle or his crew. Would they turn him in?  _ Oh of course they would! There’s no plausible reason for them not to! So, what would I do if I was brought back home!? Father would… Well, I’d have fulfilled his requirement kinda? But I’m the…. I’m the avatar. The one thing that could bring him down  _ and _ the next in line for the throne. Would he just kill me to get rid of the problem!? He’s got Azula to take over for him… _ Then a horrible thought came to him.  _ Would he use me? I… I’m the most powerful bender in the world. If trained, I could… I’m the one my family has been trying to get their hands on for  _ years! Zuko’s mind spiraled down a path of what-ifs on the possibilities he had never realized a Fire Avatar could have. Their nation had been so hell-bent on getting the Avatar in Ba Sing Se...

_ Wait _ , Zuko’s mind snapped to attention,  _ That means the Earth Kingdom’s Avatar… He died? _ Zuko sat in silence as he mulled it over. It made sense, seeing as Zuko existed. Avatar Mal-Chin was dead, and nobody outside the walls of Ba Sing Se knew. The thought made Zuko inexplicably sad.

Zuko shook his head, not wanting to focus on such depressing thoughts. In fact, he didn’t really feel like thinking at all. He set himself onto the floor as lightly as he could, sitting in the lotus position, leaning against the bed frame. His breathing started to slow as he slipped into a meditative trance. A feeling of familiarity as his mind drifted from his body.

**************

“Greetings!”

Zuko’s eyes snapped open at the voice. He hadn’t moved, he was still sitting in the healer’s home. But everything seemed… off. But that was ignoring the stranger sitting directly across from him.

The boy looked roughly sixteen, clearly from the earth kingdom. He was short in stature, but very long, adding to his overall boyish look. His umber shaded hair was trimmed short, avoiding the usual Earth Kingdom bun style. Pale in complexion, his cheeks were rosy and dotted with small freckles that trailed down his face and underneath his shirt. What was most odd about him were his eyes: a very Fire Nation gold. That and the fact that both this boy and himself were completely tinted in blue light.

The boy gave a small wave at Zuko, a wide grin plastering his face, a little too wide to be completely natural, “How are you?”

Zuko faltered for a moment, unsure what to make of the situation. The boy seemed harmless and there was something oddly familiar about him that told Zuko to let down his guard. Testing the waters, Zuko tried an unsure smile, “Uh, hello? Who are you?” The boy giggled for a moment and looked at Zuko expectantly, silent. “Uhm, am I supposed to know what that means?” The boy nodded.

Zuko took a hard look at this stranger, taking in the clothing that clearly originated from the northern Earth Kingdom, possibly Ba Sing Se. He took in the boy’s posture, clearly of noble origin but clearly not trained out of fidgeting. And it hit him.  _ That’s why he looks so familiar! _

“Avatar Mal-Chin!?” Zuko tried, quirking his unburnt eyebrow. He got a nod in response.

“Yup! I was the Avatar before you! Though I’m sure you know that! There can’t exactly be two Avatars at once, now can there!?”

“Oh, I’m aware. You’re the one I’ve been on a wild goose chase trying to get. But here we are! And you’re dead.” Zuko almost immediately cringed at his words.  _ Nice, great first impression Zuko. Ten outta ten job there, Fire Prince! _

Mal-Chin cringed a little, but his smile remained on his face, looking much more natural than before, “Hey, I’m not exactly elated to have passed either. But that’s alright, I’m sure it must have been very stressful to have that kind of,” he paused a moment to choose his wording, “responsibility, placed on you. It wasn’t fair.”

“Oh, what do you know of responsibility, living it up in the impenetrable city!? They call it the city without war, y’know? Well, the rest of us have had to live out here with those repercussions!” Zuko knew he should have been more polite with his response, but he’d never been any good at holding his tongue. That fact was something he immediately regretted as Mal-Chin’s face dropped even further, something dark settling behind his eyes.

“I wasn’t born within the city. I saw what the war did. Ba Sing Se was a trap, Zuko. Once the city’s leaders found out what I was, there was nothing I could do.”

“What do you mean there was nothing you could do!? You were the Avatar for Agni’s sake! The Avatar is-”

“Absolutely powerless unless they have mastered the other elements and the Avatar State. They never put me in a situation where that state would have been triggered. I was a political prisoner Zuko, I couldn’t do  _ anything _ !”

“You could have tried!” Zuko shouted. There was a beat of silence between the two boys. Zuko had a feeling he was crying but didn’t dare check.

Mal-Chin’s voice was deadly calm as he broke the silence, “I did the one thing I could. I died, Avatar Zuko.”

Zuko felt his stomach drop. He opened his mouth to reply but as he felt the words coming, all he could come up with was silence. Mal-Chin gave a half-hearted smile and Zuko watched as the boy faded away, the glow around himself fading with him. Zuko was, once again, alone with his own thoughts.

**************

After that day, his nightmares stopped being his own. They often hadn’t been, but before he would wake up with no memories of them. Now, the agonizing images would haunt him hours after waking. Shutting his eyes would lead to hours of frigid cold nights, dampness that would soak into his bones. The unexplainable feeling of loss and heartbreak as he watched a sea of faces (faces he felt he should know) drift further from the shore where he stood, alone. He experienced what felt like years in a prison of steel, breathing dry air, metal encasings just hot enough to be painful. 

He would scream in those dreams, pleading for relief. It was never for himself however, but the relief of those he called his people, he would beg for their freedom, pray to the gods for confirmation that they were safe. He could hear the voice he screamed in grow raw as she plead with fate to save her family, her love, her  _ son _ . And Zuko felt guilt. His heart bled for the owner of these memories. He would cry before he slept each night, hoping this woman would have her wishes granted. He wished he could take her pain away.

The dreams would repeat for the next month, tearing away any reservations Zuko had on the purity of his nation. He would often find himself nodding along when he heard others curse the Fire Nation at the various Inns he stayed at. He would feel guilty responsibility when people would whisper about the ceaseless advance of the Fire Nation’s army. He felt lucky, almost, that he had been cast from the palace. Without that escape, he’d probably have been contributing to these people’s pain.

Zuko began sympathizing with Mal-Chin. His nighttime visions gave him a taste of the experience of helplessness he simply hadn’t understood. Zuko had come to realize that he could very easily have put himself in the same situation if his father had found out about Zuko’s abilities. It was a month later that Zuko finally decided to apologize to Mal-Chin. But it wasn’t Mal-Chin who replied to Zuko’s invitation.

Zuko opened his eyes when he felt another presence with him in the clearing where he sat. A water tribe woman sat before him, appearing in her late 30’s. Her hair was long and dark, framing a round face and dull blue eyes. It was a hardened face that showed signs of great struggle. Zuko knew this was the woman whose life he’d been the audience to.

“It really took you this long?” She was the first to speak, her voice monotone as she assessed the boy in front of her. 

Zuko took a deep breath before replying, biting back a harsh comment, “I’m sure it wouldn’t come as much of a surprise to you, but I am quite the coward.” The words burned in his mouth, but he meant them all the same.

“I would argue with that claim, but in this situation, I’ve just gotta agree. You were out of line with the way you were talking back there. It wasn’t fair to him,” the woman shook her head, face melting into one of exasperation. “You’d think a prince would have better manners.”

Zuko looked down into his lap, nodding. The woman groaned into her hand, “Y’know, you’re making it awful hard to remain pissed at you. You could stand to have a little self-respect. You’ve done nothing but mope and cry and run since you left your palace. Tui and La, you’re supposed to be hoity-toity royalty!”

Zuko remained silent, letting the other complain about everything she saw wrong with him. He couldn’t find it in himself to disagree, she had some solid points, especially on how he treated others. Everything she said he filed away for later deliberation. Right now however, he really only had one goal in mind.

“Uhm, pardon,” The other stopped her onslaught. “I know you’re probably unleashing fourteen years of internalized animosity but I really would like to apologize to the one I personally offended. That came out wrong, I-” The other held out her finger.

“Yeah, sorry about that. I just had some things I needed to say and I wanted to be sure you were going to apologize to the kid. Just remember this, Zuko: Mal-Chin is an absolute sweetheart and he is going to forgive you. But it’s really easy to hurt his feelings. You have to keep that temper in check with him or I swear to whatever god you believe in the outcome for you will not be pretty.”

Zuko nodded furiously, taking the clear threat as a promise. The woman who had never bothered to introduce herself faded away and Zuko was left alone for a moment. His heart began increasing its pace and Zuko felt himself slipping out of his meditative state. His head filled with half baked anxieties of  _ I’m not ready. He’s going to be furious. Why would he want to even see me again? I was so insensitive.  _ They were stopped with a hand on his shoulder. 

“Hey Zuko, looked like you needed some assistance. Maybe a hug?” Mal-Chin was giving him a small smile, his right hand resting on Zuko. Zuko took a moment to process. Then he was moving. Mal-Chin found himself at the receiving end of a full body bow, Zuko’s hands resting above his head in his direction.

Zuko was stumbling over his words, giving lengthy apologies and practically begging for forgiveness. Mal-Chin didn’t exactly know what to do with it. Nobody had ever prostrated themselves for him before. He really didn’t like it though so he grabbed the younger Avatar from under the arm and yanked him up into a kneeling position with him.

“Zuko, it’s alright. I forgave you a while ago. Actually, I should probably apologize for what Meriwa was doing to you. Those dreams weren’t fair.”

Zuko shook his head, “No! Please don’t apologize. I was at fault thus it’s only my responsibility to say sorry. Besides, I sort of appreciated what she was doing. It put a lot of things into perspective, I guess. But that’s beside the point, what would you even have to be sorry for. You’ve done nothing wrong!”

Mal-Chin put his hand on top of Zuko’s head and laughed, “You’re adorable. Calm down! Either way, I’m not upset with you. Now that that’s out of the way, I wanted to talk to you. I’m kinda curious. Do you have a plan for what you’re gonna do? Clearly, you have no plans of returning to your Uncle or the Fire Nation. Do you plan on staying a nomad forever?”

“Don’t I have to do something about the war? I mean, I  _ am  _ the Avatar so don’t I have to end it or something?” Mal-Chin shook his head quickly.

“No, not really. Yeah, it is the Avatar’s job to restore and maintain balance, but you are still fourteen and you haven’t even learned any bending outside firebending. Most Avatars don’t even learn until they’re sixteen. There’s a reason for that too. Kids just don’t have the mental stability to be taking on those kinds of responsibilities.” Zuko wouldn’t ever admit it, but he pouted at that. “It’s true, Zuko. So, in my opinion, you would be best off trying to find yourself in a place of self acceptance and mental strength. Then I’d start learning the other bending styles so you have the power to back up your words. But for right now, you’ve gotta find a place to just be a kid in. You’re not ready to shoulder the responsibilities of the entire world right now. Leave it to the adults.”

Zuko took a moment to think over Mal-Chin’s advice. He hated to admit it, but everything he’d said made sense. Even worse was that Zuko really liked the idea of  _ not _ fulfilling his Avatar duties at this exact moment. He didn’t want to accept it, but he was in no way prepared to face his nation. “Is it really okay though? I mean, people are suffering, Mal-Chin. I could stop this!”

Mal-Chin leaned forward, wrapping his arms around Zuko’s smaller frame, “No, you can’t. Not yet. It’s okay to accept you’re too young for this right now. I’m sure the rest of the world can hang on a little longer so they have an Avatar who isn’t going to fall apart from the pressure. It’s okay to take a step back.”


End file.
